Aqua's Mission
by Lily Hanson
Summary: "Tyler, from your dad's perspective, he's spent the last ten years hiding from you to keep you safe, only to find you're caught up in all of this anyways. Maybe it's not that he thinks you can't take care of yourself. Maybe he's just being a dad."
1. A Father and Son Adventure

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Dino Charge. This story is fan-made._

"We date."

"Excuse me?" Kendall asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood in the woods just outside the city, a few miles from the nearest road and a few miles still from Heckyl's ship.

"You want to know what I know, you have to go out with me," Heckyl smirked.

"You're kidding me."

"I'd never joke about this," Heckyl shook his head and reached his hand towards her face. "You can't deny, before all this madness, we had something..."

Kendall slapped his hand away, "There was nothing. You manipulated me..."

"Not always. We had a friendship."

"Built on lies. I broke up with Chase, just like you asked..."

"Now I'm asking one more thing," Heckyl said. "I hold all the cards here, pretty lady. You want the information from me; you have to do as I ask."

"For how long?" Kendall asked him. "How long are you going to keep making demands before you tell me anything?"

"This is my last request, I swear," Heckyl held up his hands. "I just want you back. Then I'll tell you everything."

"You make one more request and you'll be more trouble than you're worth," Kendall warned him. "One date."

Heckyl smiled and gestured back towards the ship, "After you then."

"Now?"

"Is there a better time?" Heckyl asked. "Perhaps tonight? Though, I do feel it fair to warn you, the longer you wait for this date, the longer it'll be before you know anything about the aqua Ranger. That will just give your Rangers more time to bond with him."

"At least keep the date on neutral territory..."

"Kendall, please," Heckyl looked her in the eyes. "I like you. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

Kendall raised both eyebrows.

"My monsters will keep their hands off you. The jail cells do not lock. You will not be harmed nor kept beyond the end of our date. You have my word. You'll be home before any of those Rangers know you're out."

"Koda, at least, will want to check up on me after he hears Chase and I broke up," Kendall told Heckyl. "If you try anything and I don't go home..."

"I'm well aware of what he'll do to me," Heckyl nodded and again gestured in the direction of the ship. "After you."

-Dino-Charge-

Mr. Navarro walked into the museum a little curious about what the day would bring him. For the last ten years, he had been in hiding, living off the grid and keeping in contact with only Rusty. Occasionally he would venture into the city to buy supplies, but for the most part he had been on his own.

Now, he was part of a team. Even better, he was on a team with his son. Tyler had found the red Energem, and with his friends had been working to protect the planet from the monsters that Mr. Navarro had been running from. They were searching for the tenth and final energem, and, it seemed they also worked in the museum.

Mr. Navarro wasn't sure a job in the museum would be right for him. Serving burgers would be a waste of his education and experience, and working on the museum floor would bore him to no end. He liked to be out on the field, getting his hands dirty and making new discoveries that he could donate or sell to museums.

However, despite his reservations, he would do whatever he needed to be close to his son once again.

"This is the Dino Bite Cafe," Tyler said, leading him around into the restaurant and taking him straight to the back. Only the Rangers were on shift today, so it would be safe for Tyler to talk about the energems and their Ranger responsibilities. We work here when the city isn't under attack. Ms. Morgan pays us pretty well, and it helps when your boss knows why you're running off in the middle of the day."

"What about the customers?" James asked. Tyler shrugged.

"We make it work. Usually when there's an attack on the city, people are so glued to their phones or the TV, they don't notice all the employees have run out."

"Whatever works," Mr. Navarro nodded. Tyler showed him around the kitchen, pointing to the grill and the prep counter and letting him know that when orders were ready, they brought them up to the window to be served. It was run a lot like any other fast food joint so Mr. Navarro didn't need too much explaining.

After the cafe, Tyler took his father through a few exhibits, showing off some of the fossils that the museum had on display as well as a few other historical pieces. Mr. Navarro was excited to see all the museum had to offer and Tyler was happy he was able to show his father everything he had been up to in the last year of his life.

Eventually, they made it down to the lab. Mr. Navarro already knew most of what was important when it came to his Ranger duties, but he had yet to find out how all the other Rangers had earned their energems. Tyler was only too thrilled to share his story, as well as what he knew about the others. Mr. Navarro listened on with interest, finding himself both proud and scared to be the father of the red Ranger.

"It seems like quite the... adventure," he said, unsure himself what to make of his tone. He was glad to see that Tyler had a whole arsenal of weapons and gear to keep him safe, and he seemed very close to all his teammates, Mr. Navarro wasn't worried that Tyler would ever be alone. But it only took one misstep for something to happen to his son. Ten years of hiding to protect his little boy, all for nothing.

"It's been amazing, dad," Tyler nodded his head. "I mean, who else can say they've made friends with a caveman, worked in a cafe, dug up dinosaur bones and saved the world. Hell, I've taken sword training from a real night. I've even punched a Prince in the face."

"You have?"

"That's a long story," Tyler nodded his head. "He did earn it. Phillip and I have put that behind us, now."

"This is all incredible, son..."

"And it'll be even better now that you get to join us," Tyler said. "Fury will regret messing with us and Heckyl and Snide won't see us coming. We're nine strong now, there's only one energem left to find. This could be it!"

"There is still much to do," Mr. Navarro nodded. "But Tyler, don't you think the Rangers have this... fighting thing covered?"

"What?"

"What if, you and me, we went on our own adventure?"

"Dad, this is an adventure."

"You said there was one more energem left to find, right?" Mr. Navarro asked his son and glanced around the lab. He saw the crystal beds and approached the tenth spot, looking to the emblem. "Titanosaurus, right?"

"Exactly."

"I'll bet you we can find where this fossil is resting," Mr. Navarro said. "I've stumbled upon plenty of fossils in my expeditions. Some of my findings are in this very museum."

"I know, dad."

"You said the team is nine strong, but the Prince stays in Zandar unless he's needed. Why can't we?"

"You want to travel to Zandar?"

"Eventually, but right now, what do you say about travelling the country with your old man? We get away from these monsters for a while and put our talents to good use. The other Rangers can worry about holding off the aliens while we dig for the last energem."

"What?"

"It'll save us plenty of time. It'll save everyone a lot of time..."

"Dad, I'm the red Ranger," Tyler frowned, stepping away from his father. "They look to me as their leader. Ms. Morgan's just granted me the Dino Super Charger. I need to be here to help my friends."

"The Charger that made you think you were a dinosaur? Can't she give that to someone else?"

"I guess but... I couldn't leave my friends behind," Tyler said. "I've got to be here to help them, to stop Fury and Heckyl and... I work here."

"You can quit."

"I love my job," Tyler shook his head. "Dad, we have a responsibility. It's not always easy doing everything all the time but... that's the way it is."

"It doesn't need to be this way," Mr. Navarro said. "Tyler, after all this time, I can't bear to see anything happen to you."

"And nothing will. Not with my team by my side," Tyler looked to his father, "Besides, I'm not eight anymore. I can take care of myself."

"I know that."

"I'm not leaving my friends behind. If we're going to find the last energem, we're going to do it together."

Tyler called back his energem from the crystal bed and walked out of the lab, furious his father would even suggest he abandon his responsibilities and his friends. Mr. Navarro watched him go with a sigh and a shake of the head.

"I just can't bear to see anything happen to you, son. Not after all these years."


	2. A Bad Date

Kendall looked down at the bowl placed before her, completely disgusted with how the date was going. In an effort to find out the truth about the aqua Ranger's sudden appearance, Kendall had confronted Heckyl. She wanted to know what his intentions were and keep him from hurting her team. The confrontation hadn't been violent, but Kendall would have preferred that.

Heckyl promised to tell her everything he knew about the aqua Ranger on the condition that she break off her relationship with Chase, later adding that he would only tell her what he knew after she went on a date with him. Kendall agreed only to protect her Rangers. She had no intention of a second _"date"_ or of enjoying herself on the first one.

Not that it was hard. She could barely stomach looking at Heckyl after all he had put her through and after what he let happen to Cammy. Just the thought of him made her blood run cold.

And the food, it wasn't all that great. Soup: just like when he had abducted her.

"My plan with the energems?" Heckyl pondered aloud while Kendall attempted to keep the conversation going. The more he talked, the more likely it was that he would say too much. "Hmm, that is a good question."

"One you probably already have an answer to," Kendall retorted. "Considering you've been looking for the energem for hundreds of years?"

"Longer," Heckyl smirked.

"So you should have a pretty good idea of what you'll do with them once they're in your possession."

Heckyl looked to Kendall, the smirk still on his face but now there was also amused intrigued.

"Once they are in my possession. So you've come around to the fact that I won't be beaten?"

"Just, talking to you in a way you'd understand," Kendall told him.

"Or you're too stubborn to know when you're beaten," Heckyl said but Kendall shook her head. He knew not to push it. He could see in her eyes she was confident. She seemed to think whatever plan she had in motion was going well. But he kept watch over her, keeping track of even her smallest of movements. If she tried something, he wanted to be able to stop her. "You're not eating?" he gestured to her soup, certain that her reluctance to eat had to do with her plan. He hadn't put anything in the soup that would harm or inebriate her, but she didn't know that.

"I've stopped eating soup," Kendall said. "It brings back memories."

"Precisely why I served it," Heckyl smiled. "Go on, just one bite."

"I really can't," Kendall shook her head. She wasn't refusing soup to be rude or because she had her doubts that it truly was just soup. She genuinely couldn't eat it. She couldn't even fake it. The stench, already, was making her queasy. Every time she caught a whiff or glanced at the bowl, she was reminded of how Heckyl had locked her up, manipulated her, controlled her.

"There's nothing in it," Heckyl assured her. "One bite, pretty lady. In good faith."

Heckyl sipped his own before waiting for her to do the same. Kendall looked down and felt her stomach churn.

"One bite and that'll be the end of our date," he said. "I'll tell you everything."

-Dino-Charge-

"He wants you to leave?" Shelby asked as she sat with Tyler in a booth in the back corner of the cafe. She had taken her break early when she noticed Tyler storming up from the lab in a bit of a huff. She wanted to make sure everything was alright. "Leave us?"

"He thinks it'll be better if he and I search for the energem while you guys keep Fury and Heckyl off our backs."

"That's never going to work," Shelby frowned. "You're the red Ranger. Everyone's going to wonder if you suddenly disappear."

"That's what I told him. He said he doesn't want anything to happen to me. It's like he thinks I can't take care of myself."

Tyler expected Shelby to take his side here like she had been doing since they sat down, but the pink Ranger stayed quiet and averted her gaze. He frowned, leaning in. "Shelby, I can take care of myself."

"I know that," she answered quickly. "I don't doubt that for a second. It's just... well, that's your dad. That's kind of their job."

"To think I can't look after myself? After ten years of him being gone."

"Well, the only reason he left was to protect you, right? He's just looking out for you. You can't really fault him for that."

"But this is my job," Tyler said. "I'm the red Ranger. I have to be here to help you guys."

"And I'm not saying I want to see you go," Shelby told him. "But, Tyler, from your dad's perspective, he's spent the last ten years hiding from you to keep you safe, only to find you're caught up in all of this anyways. Maybe it's not that he thinks you can't take care of yourself. Maybe he's just being a dad."

"I... you don't get it," Tyler grumbled and got up to leave. Shelby tried to follow him but noticed on her watch that her break was up.

-Dino-Charge-

Chase paced back and forth, waiting anxiously for something to happen. He held his morpher in his hand and played with his charger. A part of him hoped he didn't have to use it. Using it would mean something happened. However, another part of him, a bigger part of him wanted to morph, to kicked Heckyl and Snide's ass for everything that had done and everything they planned on doing. They more than deserved it.

But Chase stayed where he was and he waited, keeping his ears open for the first sound of trouble. If he thought, for a second, he was needed, he would jump right in.

A few moments passed before he checked the time on his phone. It had been hours now. Something should have happened. He knew his orders, he knew what she wanted, but he was starting to get uncomfortable. He worried if he waited any longer, he would be too late.

Suddenly, there was a blast in the distance followed by a cry. Chase turned in the direction of the alien ship just in time to see Kendall rushing out of the base, her energem hanging from her hand. In a second Chase was morphed and had his blaster trained on the door. As soon as a monster stepped out, he fired.

"Run!" Kendall shouted to him but he waited for her to reach him. He pulled her in close.

"Are you okay?" he asked and quickly looked her over. She nodded and didn't seem to be harmed so Chase looked to the ship, to see who he had shot. He didn't recognize the monster at all. "Who..."

"Singe. He's bad news," Kendall said and tugged on his arm to try and get him to run. Chase was about to follow when Heckyl stepped out. He looked ready to say something but interrupted himself when he locked eyes with Chase.

Seeing the black Ranger just outside the ship waiting for Kendall, Heckyl knew what happened. He clenched his fists.

"You lied to me."

"Let's go!" Kendall said and tugged on Chase once more. Chase listened, taking off after Kendall and picking up the pace after he heard Heckyl shouting. As expected, Heckyl was not pleased to see he had been fooled.

Once they were a safe distance from the ship and they were sure Heckyl nor Snide had come after them, they stopped to catch their breath. Chase powered down and looked to Kendall once more, checking her over for injuries.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked her. Kendall nodded her head but her hand went to her stomach and she held it there. She looked like she was going to be sick. "Kendall..."

"He served soup," she told Chase. "I couldn't eat it. Heckyl took that as a sign I didn't trust him."

"Did he really think you'd come around that quickly?" Chase asked.

"He didn't, but that's when Singe walked in."

"The new guy?"

"He tried to go for my energem," Kendall nodded. "I had to get out. I... Dammit!" she shouted and kicked a rock in frustration. "Singe showed up, I got the sense he was going to try and draw Snide out, I had to leave without asking about the aqua Ranger."

"So you still don't know?"

"And it's too dangerous to go back," Kendall growled. "How are we supposed to find out about the aqua Ranger now."

"Well, Heckyl's pretty pissed, right?" Chase asked. "If he does have the aqua Ranger under his thumb, he might try something soon."

"You think?"

"We tread carefully over the next few days," Chase nodded. "We keep an eye on Mr. Navarro..."

"But Heckyl knows we're onto him."

"That should make it all the more fun," Chase said with a little smirk and Kendall knew what he was saying. Heckyl and Snide had both asked not just for the energems, but that the Rangers help in making their stealing the energems fun. While Snide was a little more lenient to just taking the energems, both sides wanted to cause as much trouble as they could before obtaining all the power. "Just think, he can twist his game a little more, mess with us a bit. That should just make it all the more obvious if something's going on. If nothing happens, then maybe Heckyl played us. The aqua Ranger was bound to show up eventually, right?"

"If this is a trick..."

"You'll find out," Chase assured her, taking her into his arms. "Kendall, you're always on top of this stuff. That's not going to change."

Kendall nodded her head a little bit and nestled into Chase. He kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you," he whispered. Kendall looked up at him.

"For what?"

Chase reached into his pocket and pulled out the note, "For keeping me in the loop."

Kendall nodded her head and leaned back into his arms, "I wasn't going to let him hurt you too."


	3. Tyler's Family

**_Author's Note:_** _To my reviews, my apologies for the lack of response last chapter. I am very busy with a big move and will be kept busy for the next little while until I get settled. I will try to carve out some time to post updates, but my responses may be slow or absent for the next little while. However, know that I do read each and every review and thank you all for your feedback and comments!_

 _I hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

Chase's day started off well the following morning. He woke up with a smile and the more he thought about the day before, the bigger his smile grew. Of course, not getting any information out of Heckyl meant the plan had failed. Singe almost getting Kendall's energem and Heckyl finding out she had tricked him worried Chase. However, he was in a good place.

Kendall had put him in a good place.

When she called him to the cafe and asked him to speak privately about a personal matter, he had been worried. His first thought was that maybe Tyler being reunited with a loving father was too difficult for her. It had been her dream growing up that her father would come out of the blue, take her home and take care of her. Essentially, Tyler was living out her ideal life – the life she had never been granted. But the conversation quickly turned when Kendall announced she wanted to break things off with him.

He genuinely couldn't understand it. Their date had gone well, they got along, he really liked her, he did his best to make her happy and he thought he meant something special to her too. He had been hurt that she wouldn't talk to him about whatever caused her to want to separate. His heart started to break, especially when she got up to leave. He thought, for sure, he was in a nightmare until a letter addressed to him fell out of her purse. At first, he hesitated to read it, worried maybe she didn't want him to see what was inside and it was why she hadn't given it to him. But he decided since the letter had his name on it, it was meant for him and he had to open it. He was glad he did.

In the letter, Kendall had explained everything to him. She talked about her concerns with Tyler's father, the aqua Ranger, suddenly showing up. She told him how she was worried Heckyl was playing some trick on the Rangers, especially since she had just bested him in a challenge. She figured his pride was hurt and he was seeking revenge. Using the aqua Ranger, faking Tyler's father had returned would be the best way to do it.

She reminded him how much it had hurt her to know her father had abandoned her and shared with him that she couldn't let Tyler experience the same pain. The longer they waited to find out the aqua Ranger's true identity, the more it would hurt Tyler if he turned out to be a trick.

Chase was touched by that part. The once aloof Ms. Morgan had concerned herself with protecting someone else's wellbeing. She was willing to do anything to ensure Tyler wouldn't suffer. It spoke volumes to how much she had learned to trust and care for her teammates.

After that, Kendall revealed her plan, admitting to going to visit Heckyl on her own and intentionally leaving her energem behind, just in case he tried something, he wouldn't get it. She told him about how Heckyl promised to share what he knew if she broke up with Chase. She told the black Ranger how she spent the whole drive home wondering what she was going to do, how she could possibly justify sparing Tyler's feelings by hurting Chase's, especially after all he had done for her. She told him how much it had torn her up inside.

But she told him it was a risk she couldn't take. If the aqua Ranger was bad, they needed to know soon, before he had too much access to the lab, their weapons, the chargers and the energems. That was the purpose for the letter. Heckyl was sneaky, he always seemed to have a plan in motion, and even on times where it was questionable, it looked like he was able to go with the flow, almost as if he could turn any situation to work in his favour. She couldn't risk returning to the ship if Heckyl knew she hadn't even attempted to break up with Chase.

She hid away in her lab to write the letter, confident that, if Heckyl could see her, he would just assume she was working. She would often jot ideas down on paper before starting a new project.

She explained that she would break up with Chase, hoped he found the letter and met her in the woods just outside of the alien's ship. He was to wait for her date to end, giving it a reasonable amount of time. If everything went well, she could come out unharmed and he could take her home. She would have all the information she needed. If Heckyl decided to pull one over on her, and Chase heard screams, blasts, or noticed any sign of trouble, he was to call for help and come in as back up.

And he did. As soon as he read the letter, Kendall's intentions were clear. She was trying to protect everyone, herself included, the best way she knew how. He wasn't going to let her down. He met with her just outside the ship; he kept an eye out for her. And when she ran, she ran straight to him. It meant a lot to Chase that she trusted him. More than that, it meant a lot that she would protect him too. She had his best interest at heart and she cared for him enough that she couldn't hurt him. She knew he didn't want to lose her, and in her own way, she had shown him that she didn't want to lose him either.

"You in good mood today," Koda said when Chase walked into the cafe, early for his shift and began helping the caveman set up the chairs for the day. Chase nodded his head.

"Yesterday was a good day. Why can't today be the same?"

"Today is new day," Koda told him. "Never know what will happen."

"Precisely, mate. Today could be even better," Chase smiled, pat his friend on the back and made his way to the kitchen to set up. Koda was happy to see the black Ranger in such a good mood and continued setting up the dining room with a smile until Tyler walked in. Unlike Chase, he wore a deeply frustrated look on his face.

"Today is new day," he tried the same line. "Never know what will happen."

"Not in the mood, Koda," Tyler said, brushing past the blue Ranger and storming off into the kitchen. Koda frowned and scratched his head. When he turned around one more time he saw Mr. Navarro had also come in for the day.

"Is Tyler okay?"

"We have a bit of a misunderstanding," Mr. Navarro stated. "Tyler just can't understand that I have his best interest at heart."

"What is best interest?" Koda asked. Mr. Navarro didn't seem to want to answer for a moment, but then decided for it. He walked over to the table Koda had just finished setting up and took a seat. Koda sat across from him, looking curious.

"There's one energem left to find," he said. Koda nodded his head.

"Silver energem. Very hard to find. It like kapka."

"Like what?"

"Kapka," Koda repeated and then puffed his chest and cheeks. "It uh... big animal. Lots of meat. Feed family. Kapka."

Mr. Navarro could only stare at Koda before he shook his head and decided whatever Koda was talking about didn't matter right now. "Right, whatever. It's like a kapka. But we do need to find it, right?"

"Very important."

"I suggested we look for it."

"Yes," Koda nodded his head. "We look very long time for energem. They not easy to find."

"I know. Especially with Fury out there looking for them. We can't possibly be expected to save the world, find the last energem and serve burgers."

"I do it long time," Koda told the aqua Ranger.

"I was just suggesting we make our job a little easier," Mr. Navarro explained. "Tyler and I could search for the energem."

"What we do?" Koda asked and pointed to himself.

"Whatever's left to do. Stop the aliens, save the world, serve burgers."

"I can still eat burgers?"

"As many as you want," Mr. Navarro assured him and Koda nodded his head in relief. Then, suddenly, he frowned.

"Wait, if Tyler father and Tyler look for energem, you not be here. You take Tyler away?"

"Just to keep him safe. He's my boy, Koda. Just the thought of him getting hurt..."

"Tyler not get hurt," Koda promised. "We protect each other. Like family."

"And I appreciate all you've done, but you never know what's going to happen. I finally get to see my son again. I... I don't want that to be cut short."

"Tyler wants to leave?"

"He's not happy with it," Mr. Navarro admitted. "He just doesn't understand I only want to keep him safe. Letting him fight Fury and all those other monsters is too dangerous."

"More dangerous if Tyler not on team," Koda said. "We have less Rangers and less weapons. Kendall make chargers. Need five energems."

"Can't she use her energem?"

"Need blue, black, pink, green and red energem," Koda explained. "Those are five energems we find first. For long time those only energems Kendall make new weapon with. They have lots of power. Help keep all Rangers and world safe."

"And she can't change that?"

"Kendall work very hard," Koda shook his head. "Please, do not make Kendall work more hard. She need rest. She have family too."

"And no one else can change the energems?"

"We not allowed to touch things without Kendall," Koda stated.

Mr. Navarro sighed, "Koda, I... if anything happens to my son..."

Koda reached across the table, put his hand on Mr. Navarro's shoulder and looked him in the eyes sincerely.

"Tyler is family. We protect family."


	4. For The Best

Tyler made his way into the museum, taking a quick tour before he started his day. He still wasn't too happy with his father for suggesting they just abandon the team. Even more, Tyler wasn't happy that his father couldn't see him as being able to look after himself. The red Ranger had been caring after himself and his mother for the last ten years, acting as the man of the house because his father had taken off. On top of that, he was a Ranger, the red Ranger. Not only could he take care of himself, but he was responsible for defending the planet. With a team behind him, he had the fate of the world in his hand and he wasn't going to let them down.

He couldn't leave them. Not a chance. His father was wrong to ask him to take off.

As he wandered mindlessly, he ended up in the kids' section of the museum. He only noticed when a little girl bumped into him and looked up to apologize, only to get excited. When Tyler looked down, he noticed the girl who had bumped into him was Cammy. He smiled to see her. She had suffered a long time because of Heckyl and he was glad to see she was finally getting back to her normal life.

"How is that head of yours doing?" he asked her, knowing that her concussion had been injury that had kept her down the longest. Cammy smiled.

"I don't get headaches as much anymore," she said. "My parents say I can go back to school next week!"

"Next week? Already?"

"Yeah, I'm excited! Ms. Patterson got the whole class to make me a card and they all said they missed me. I want to see my friends again."

"I'm sure they're looking forward to seeing you again too," Tyler said with a smile before letting Cammy rush off to play in the sandpit. Meanwhile, he looked around and saw Kendall sitting on one of the benches. She was watching Cammy closely, keeping her eye on the young girl. Tyler made his way over and sat next to her.

"So, Cammy's going back to school, huh?"

Kendall gave a nervous nod. Tyler noticed she had her tablet in her hand, but unlike other times, she didn't seem to have much work done on it. Clearly, her main focus was Cammy. When the little girl tried to reach for one of the shovels, and another kid who wasn't looking where he was running tripped over her, Kendall winced and seemed ready to get up. But when Cammy didn't appear hurt, she let out a deep breath and settled into her seat.

"It's too soon if you ask me," Kendall told Tyler. "But her pediatrician is sure she'll be fine and Cammy's eager to go back. If she thinks she's ready and we've got the okay, I can't really stop her."

"She's a tough kid," Tyler nodded his head. "She's had to look out for herself up until now. I'm sure if she wasn't ready, she'd have let you know."

"Of course," Kendall answered, pausing slightly when another kid tripped a little too close to Cammy. Tyler saw this and chuckled.

"Ms. Morgan, she's going to be fine. You can relax."

Kendall gave a little nod, mostly to acknowledge that she had heard Tyler while still keeping her eyes on Cammy. Tyler chuckled again.

"There's a point where you've got to let go. Her doctor said she's fine..."

"God himself could tell me she was fine and I'd still worry," Kendall muttered as she looked down at her tablet for a moment, then back at Cammy. It seemed the little girl was speaking with another boy and were making plans to dig up the world's biggest dinosaur fossil. She was having fun. Her past injuries seemed to be the furthest thing from her mind. After a moment, Kendall turned to Tyler, "I know, it's a bit ridiculous."

"She will be fine," the red Ranger insisted.

"And I know that. I know she'll go to school and everything will work out, but it's just... It's Cammy. I worry all the time."

"She's a good kid."

"She's great," Kendall nodded her head. "She does what she's told, she's careful, she's a smart kid. But at any time, anything could happen and if it did... I don't know what I'd do."

Tyler looked to Kendall, then back to Cammy. He saw the little girl playing in the sand with the new friend she had made. She seemed happy. It appeared she was having a good time. At the same time, he noticed the way she seemed to be straining her eyes and as time went on she was rubbing them and putting her hand to her head more and more. He knew Kendall noticed this too, as the purple Ranger set her tablet in her purse before making her way over and telling Cammy they were going to get some ice-cream. Tyler followed them to the cafe and stayed with Cammy at the booth while Kendall made the sundae. While they waited, Cammy rested her head on the table. Tyler leaned over.

"You okay?"

"Sometimes my headaches come back," Cammy whispered.

"Ms. Morgan's pretty worried about you going back to school, you know."

"Yeah," Cammy nodded. "All day she told me I could wait another week. But I'm fine, I promise. I wanna see my friends."

Tyler gave a little nod, but he checked the time and saw it was barely noon. Cammy had made it through the morning, but it seemed just the stress of living could still take its toll on her. He doubted, even after a weekend of rest, she would be able to make it a full day back at school.

Maybe, Kendall wasn't completely paranoid. Maybe she was right to worry a little bit.

"She's just trying to make sure you're really ready when you go back. She was really worried when you were hurt."

"Yeah. But I am ready. I can do it."

"If you're sure," Tyler agreed. He got up and started to make his way to the kitchen when Kendall came back to sit with Cammy with a sundae. As the red Ranger put on his apron, he saw his father walking in. Tyler turned his back to the aqua Ranger, but his father called after him. He turned around. "What?"

"Can we talk? Please?"

"Dad..."

"Son, I'm sorry," Mr. Navarro interrupted and looked to his son sympathetically. Tyler sighed and nodded, allowing his father to continue. Mr. Navarro smiled softly, "Your team needs you. I get that."

"I have to stay here, dad. I have to help them," he said.

"And I understand that..."

"I can't leave. We can find the last energem as a team. That's for the best."

"I don't think so, Tyler," Mr. Navarro shook his head. "Son, if I'm honest, I really think it's for the best if we split up. If we focus Fury and that Heckyl's forces one way while we go another. We take their sights off the energem to give us a head start on obtaining the last one."

"Dad, I can't go with you."

"And I understand," Mr. Navarro said. "I talked with Koda. He helped me understand you were needed here. And I trust you'll be safe here. But I do worry, son."

"You don't have to. I'm eighteen, dad. I can take care of myself."

"You could be eighty, Tyler, and I would still worry. You are my son. It's my honour and my burden."

"Dad..." Tyler breathed softly, just before catching a glance at Kendall at Cammy. Kendall had mentioned how it felt a bit ridiculous to worry after Cammy in spite of hearing from a professional that Cammy was cleared to return to school soon. Yet, even if she knew she worried too much, she couldn't seem to help herself. He knew her love for Cammy. He had seen the way it had torn her apart when they found her after Heckyl's attacks. Perhaps, it was just a parent's burden to worry far more than necessary.

"I want to keep you safe, Tyler. I always will. And the best way I know how to do that is to keep you close. But I've come to realize that might not be for the best. Koda assured me that as long as you're part of the team, you'll be okay. Is that true?"

"They look out for me, just like I do them. We protect each other."

"Then it might be best if I go alone," Mr. Navarro said and Tyler frowned in response. He shook his head.

"What? Dad, no. We're a team..."

"I've spoken to Koda and I've spoken to the Keeper..."

"Keeper. Just Keeper."

"Right. Anyways, he agreed it was best if I use my knowledge to track down the final energems while you Rangers focus on stopping Fury and Heckyl and Snide. You are more than welcome to come with me, but I will trust you to stay safe if you choose to remain with your friends."

Tyler shook his head. This wasn't what he wanted at all.

"No, dad, we're a team. We're all Rangers. If we work together, we can do it all."

"Finding the energems is a priority," Mr. Navarro said. "Until we have all ten and they are out of Fury and Heckyl's reach, we're not safe. Once I find the tenth energem, we can be together."

"We can be together now, dad," Tyler frowned. "I mean, you're here. You're finally back. You don't have to worry about Fury coming after me anymore because I'm a Ranger! I can look after myself..."

"And I believe you can. But the sooner we find that energem, the better for everyone. Fury and Heckyl are a distraction to finding the final energem, and finding the energem keeps your focus away from defeating those aliens. Tyler, I truly do believe it will be for the best if, for now, I leave."

"Dad..."

"I'll see you again soon, son. I promise," Mr. Navarro placed his hand on his son's shoulder and gave him a firm, reassuring squeeze while he looked to him lovingly. "You make sure those friends of yours really do take care of you."

Tyler shook his head, but Mr. Navarro didn't seem to want to change his mind. It was clear to Tyler his father truly thought that splitting up was for the best, no matter how much it hurt. So he followed the aqua Ranger out to the dining room and watched as his father stole Kendall's attention away from Cammy.

"Ms. Morgan, I do thank you greatly for looking after my son," he said, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask you keep your eye on him a little longer. Keeper has asked that I use my knowledge of geology and fossils to track down the final energem. I feel it is for the best I do so out of sight."

"You... you're leaving?" Kendall asked and glanced quickly over to Tyler. "But you were just reunited with your son. I don't understand..."

"I'm afraid we won't truly be reunited until the danger to our lives has passed, "Mr. Navarro said. "Will you promise me you'll look after him?"

"You're sure you have to go?"

Mr. Navarro nodded his head. Kendall sighed deeply.

"Then I promise. He'll be safe with us."

"Thank you," Mr. Navarro looked back at Tyler one more time. "I'll see you soon, son."

Tyler shook his head, turned his back to his father and stormed off into the kitchen. Mr. Navarro gave a little nod of acceptance before he took off. Kendall was torn between fighting for the aqua Ranger to stay or just letting him leave.

She decided she had already tried and failed to convince a father to stay for his child. Twice. She left Cammy with her ice-cream, quickly calling on Riley who was at the register to keep an eye on the little girl before rushing after Tyler. When he wasn't in the kitchen she made her way down to the lab and found him angrily beating up Riley's training bag.

"Tyler."

"What?" he snapped, turning to her angrily.

"I'm sorry."

Tyler hit the bag once more, "All these years, I thought, if he was still alive, he was looking for me and mom. Trying to reach us again. Not only do I find out he's been keeping his distance on purpose, but now he just wants to leave again? How can he just... do that?"

"I don't know," Kendall answered honestly. Tyler shook his head, walked to the wall and leaned against it, slowly slipping down to the floor. Kendall sat next to him. "I'm sorry," she said again.

Tyler covered his face with his hands. Before he did, Kendall could see around his eyes was turning red and his eyes were watering up. Hesitantly, she reached out and put her arm around his shoulders.

"I'm really sorry, Tyler," she said and then let the silence consume the room after that.


End file.
